Do you love movies? If so, Universal Studios Hollywood is for you! The magic of movie-making comes to life at the park, which combines the quintessential Hollywood movie experience with frogtastic theme park attractions and shows. Universal Studios Hollywood is one of our Frog Family favorites, especially Tad's! The action-packed attractions include The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, DreamWorks Theatre Featuring Kung Fu Panda, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem and The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash! Now, you can also visit the popular Super Nintendo World, which features the attraction Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge. In summer 2026, the newest outdoor roller coaster races in! Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift reaches speeds of up to 72 mph and has 360-degree rotating cars! Maximize your time and get the most out of your visit with our Universal Studios Hollywood tips, so are you ready for action? Let's hop to it!
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FAQs
- How can I save money on Universal Studios Hollywood tickets? Undercover Tourist is an authorized seller of discount Universal Studios Hollywood tickets. You can also save even more on VIP Tours, Universal Express tickets, promotional deals, Fan Fest Nights and Halloween Horror Nights tickets through Undercover Tourist.
- Should I get Universal Express? We get asked this question a lot. The short answer is yes, especially during school breaks and holidays. But the longer answer is you don't really need it if you visit an off-peak time, and you can take advantage of the Single Riders line for several attractions and add on Early Access.
- How can I maximize time at Halloween Horror Nights and Fan Fest Nights? Arrive early with an After 2 p.m. ticket (or purchase Early Access separately) and add on Universal Express.
- What is the number one tip for saving time and money? Arrive before park opening, and purchase Early Access for Super Nintendo World.
- Is the VIP experience really worth it? We loved our VIP Experience. We felt so pampered from valet parking to getting several meals, free bottled waters throughout the day, free ponchos for the water ride, skipping the lines for the attractions (with the tour and Unlimited Universal Express) and getting a tour guide and Backlot trolley tour that allowed us to walk through real movie sets and warehouses.
Universal Studios Hollywood Tips to Maximize Your Time
Follow these tips to maximize time at Universal Studios Hollywood. With the right planning, arrival and strategy, you can do it all in one day.
Tickets
Buy Your Tickets in Advance
You'll always save time and money when you buy your Universal Studios Hollywood tickets in advance. Why wait in a long line at the ticket booth when you can purchase tickets for less from your couch? Plus, the park can sell out on peak days around holidays and summer, so you want to plan ahead and get your tickets early. At times, you can get special promo tickets (with additional savings or perks) through Undercover Tourist.
Undercover Tourist sells Universal tickets for normal park hours as well as separately ticketed events, such as Fan Fest Nights and Halloween Horror Nights.
For a limited time, Buy a Day, Get a 2nd Day FREE for General Admission Tickets at Universal Studios Hollywood! Valid for visits through Dec. 16, 2026
Consider the Universal Express Pass During the Busiest Times
If you are planning to visit around the holidays, spring break or summer, consider purchasing Universal Express passes. With Express, you will get one-time priority access to most rides, shows and attractions. (Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge is now included on Universal Express!) Now that's the way to maximize your time at Universal Studios Hollywood!
With the Universal Express Pass, you should have no problem seeing most attractions, even on super busy days. The park limits the number of Universal Express passes it sells, and the price can fluctuate at the park depending on the season and demand. Buying Universal Studios Hollywood Universal Express passes in advance is a must if you cannot arrive in the morning to purchase them at the gate.
You can upgrade your ticket inside the park or online with the add-on option. Or, you may want to plan ahead by purchasing Universal Express in advance. (Psst ... that's the best way to save money with Undercover Tourist.) If one-time priority access is not enough, you may be able to upgrade in-park to Unlimited Universal Express. Yes, it’s more expensive — about $40-50 more than regular Express — but it could come in handy if you are visiting on a busy day and you want to ride again and again and again.
Don't Want to Worry About Anything? Purchase the VIP Experience
With the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Experience ticket, you will enjoy a six- to eight-hour personal, guided tour of the park. This includes valet parking, light snacks and refreshments in the private VIP lounge, exclusive Backlot access, unlimited priority access (with Unlimited Universal Express) to all of the rides (including Mario Kart!) and shows (with a guide to get you the best seats) and a gourmet meal in the private VIP dining room.
You'll take a trolley down to the Backlot and visit working sound stages, Universal's sound department and props warehouse and other areas not open to the general public. The order on the itinerary can vary per day, but you will eat about three hours into your tour. There is limited availability, so book in advance. Children must be at least 5 years old.
Add-Ons & Extras
There are a few add-ons you can purchase separately through the Universal Studios Hollywood site. You'll find them listed under "Extras." So even if you purchase your tickets through Undercover Tourist, you can go to the Universal site to get Early Access for Super Nintendo World. You can also do this for Fan Fest Nights and Halloween Horror Nights. If you did not buy an Express ticket from Undercover Tourist and later decide to add Express to your general admission ticket, you can get it here as well.
Let's say your family is getting Express, but you have a small child who won't be riding the thrill rides or an adult who wants to skip the line for the Studio Tour and Water World with the family but is not interested in other rides. They can get the more affordable Universal Select add-on that has access to select attractions, such as:
- Jurassic World: The Ride
- The World-Famous Studio Tour
- WaterWorld
This option will save those individuals money over buying Express.
Free Express Access to Studio Tour Promo Ticket
In 2026, Undercover Tourist has a nice perk for general admission tickets. You can get FREE Express access to the Studio Tour with the special offer 1-day ticket! It's available for a limited time.
Arrival Tips and When to Visit
Part of planning a successful day to any theme park is picking the best time to visit and best time to arrive.
Pick the Best Times to Visit
While any day you can head to Universal Studios Hollywood is a great day, some days are better than others! You'll find the waits are lowest in the fall, winter and spring (except spring break). Avoid the days around the holidays and times when children are out of school. Weekdays are often less crowded than weekends. Hop over to our Los Angeles Crowd Calendar to check out crowd predictions, as well as our guide to the best times to visit Universal Studios Hollywood. Another thing to consider is park hours. Check the park hours before your visit. When park hours are short (say, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.), you'll especially want to arrive early to fit everything in before the park closes.
Arrive Ahead of Park Opening (or Purchase Early Access)
We frogs have a saying ... the early frog gets the flies! When you arrive ahead of park opening, you will have the opportunity to experience the rides with the very lowest waits of the entire day. This is one of our top Universal Studios Hollywood tips!
If you are at the park entrance 30 minutes early, you just might get in early (depending on the day). Not all attractions may be open, but it gives you a great head start on your day. Sometimes the Wizarding World opens early. Once the park is officially open, head to the Lower Lot ASAP, to knock out those rides early in the day as they generally form long lines later. Mario Kart forms a line pretty quickly once the park officially opens. The other Lower Lot rides have very short lines for the first hour of park opening. The Lower Lot is restricted to people with Early Access until the park officially opens.
If Super Nintendo World is important to you, purchase Early Access to enjoy an hour in Super Nintendo World before the park officially opens. No matter where you buy your tickets, you can purchase Early Access directly from Universal. Hop over to our post on Early Access tips for Super Nintendo World to read all about it. Universal lets the Early Access guests in even earlier than stated so that they have time to get to the Lower Lot. After your Early Access hour is up, complete all the other Lower Lot rides with short waits.
Allow at Least 30 to 60 Minutes for Parking and Security
All parking lots open two hours before park opening (one hour before Early Access). Give yourself enough time to park, walk to security and get through the metal detectors. Most general parking is sent to the farthest parking structures. Those lots will have you walking through Universal CityWalk (about 10 to 15 minutes) to get to the security screening area. You can upgrade to Preferred parking and park at the Frankenstein structure (and sometimes even closer to the front gate). The Frankenstein structure is very close to the park exit for that quick getaway at the end of the night. You can also upgrade to Front Gate parking, which puts you right next to security. That saves time but costs more money. If you plan to shop and eat in CityWalk anyway, then regular parking makes the most sense.
You want to arrive 30 to 45 minutes before Early Access to allow time to walk to the Lower Lot. The gates open early for Early Access to give you time to make your way to the Lower Lot.
Eat Breakfast Before You Arrive
To maximize your time experiencing the rides, shows and entertainment, we suggest you eat breakfast before you head to the park! We give two thumbs up to the buffet at Universal Hilton, which includes a variety of cheeses, cold cuts, fresh fruit, muffins, a doughnut bar, dim sum, pork dumplings, eggs, bacon and even Nutella! Wandering through Universal CityWalk, your breakfast options include Starbucks, Subway and Jamba Juice. Check hours online before you visit.
If you've skipped breakfast, The Three Broomsticks serves an English breakfast in the Wizarding World (on select days when the park opens early), and Jurassic Cafe in the Lower Lot has breakfast items as well if the park opens early. While Toadstool Cafe does not serve breakfast food, it is open early with lunch and dinner options. You might want to make advance dining reservations for Toadstool Cafe (up to 60 days in advance) to dine in the mid to late morning for the shortest wait.
Park Plans and What to Do When at Universal Studios
Use a strategy in planning your day at Universal Studios Hollywood. Crowds are quite predictable in this park. These tips will put you ahead of the crowds and have you finding the shortest waits.
Plan Your Visits to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Nintendo World
The two most popular lands are the Wizarding World and Super Nintendo World. Super Nintendo World is least crowded during Early Access and later in the day. Early Access gives you access to the land an hour before the park opens. This is a huge time saver. All the games and challenges have short lines in this hour but long times later in the day. While Mario Kart does accept Universal Express, the least crowded times will still give you the lowest wait time. Ride early or late.
Mario Kart offers Single Rider, which is a great option for saving time, but it does skip a lot of the immersive queue elements. We do recommend walking through the queue at least once, and that means visiting during the shortest wait times.
If you purchase Early Access to visit Super Nintendo World, leave the land once the park opens to experience other three Lower Lot rides with short wait times. Then head to Hogsmeade to ride the Wizarding World rides — Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and Flight of the Hippogriff. Go ride The Studio Tour and other attractions, then return to Hogsmeade later in the day for meals and shopping when the wait times in the rest of the park peak. Since it is centrally located in the Upper Lot, you can come and go with ease.
Both of the rides in the Wizarding World accept Universal Express passes, but the Ollivanders wand-pairing demonstration does not. The line for Ollivanders is the longest in the morning after opening. The line drops off significantly in the late afternoon and evening, so it is better to wait.
During the recent visits, we have found that the Wizarding World and Super Nintendo World have shorter wait times in the late afternoon and early evening. So if you arrive after opening, save your visits for these rides toward the end of your day.
Hit the Lower Lot in the Morning
If you arrive at park opening, you also should have no problem hitting the Lower Lot rides with very few people and minimal waits. Everyone will be heading to Super Nintendo World, so park opening is the time to hit the other Lower Lot rides. We have put together a Universal Studios Hollywood Park Plan so that you can prioritize rides, shows and attractions. Hit the Lower Lot ASAP for the shortest wait times of the day.
There's an Indominus rex animatronic as part of Jurassic World — The Ride. That means you should try to hop on the ride as early as you can to experience it! The wait time is shorter in the morning before it gets hot.
Reduce Time on the StarWay
The elevators that connect the Upper Lot and the Lower Lot are very loooonnnnngggggg and can very well take 10 minutes each way (or more during peak times). Avoid multiple trips at all costs by doing everything in the Lower Lot once! We recommend hitting the Lower Lot first (as soon as it opens in the morning) because the lines are shortest there in the morning. They peak in the afternoon. Try to plan your time to visit Super Nintendo World for when you'll be in the Lower Lot.
Be Strategic About Your Studio Tour
The Studio Tour closes about an hour or two before the rest of Universal Studios Hollywood closes, so check the last tram departure and wait times so you don't miss out.
The Studio Tour is what makes Universal Studios Hollywood, well, Universal Studios Hollywood. You will go down to the Backlot where you will visit some of the most famous backdrops in movie-making history! The Bates Motel, Wisteria Lane from "The Burbs" and"Desperate Housewives," and Town Square from "Back To The Future," just to name a few. You might even see some filming taking place! King Kong 3D and an earthquake make the tour an exciting ride, as well.
We recommend it in the late morning, afternoon or early evening when waits for other attractions are high, temperatures begin to rise and your legs could use an hour of rest.
Take a Midday Break
In a perfect world, you could arrive before park opening and stay until the very end. That way, you could take advantage of the shortest lines and most comfortable temperatures at the end of the day. But that is easier said than done. All of the walking, heat (especially in summer) and missed nap times take their toll. If your hotel is nearby, consider leaving at midday to escape the crowds and heat. Be sure to hold onto your ticket and get a hand stamp when you exit. Relax in a hotel pool or darkened hotel room to recharge for the evening. This is only recommended for days with longer park hours. Otherwise, you might miss out on experiencing everything.
If you don’t want to leave the park, Kung Fu Panda is air-conditioned, making it a great choice for cooling off and escaping the sun. Use this time to meet the characters. The tadpoles will enjoy splashing in the Wet Zone area at Super Silly Fun Land, which has over 80 water play features. Parents can sit in the shade and cool off in the mist while watching the kids.
Schedule Your Day Around the Shows
WaterWorld is the biggest show in the park. Arrive early if you want to see it.
The Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle takes place during certain seasons, such as select nights of spring break and summer. You can catch smaller acts in the Wizarding World such as the Triwizard Spirit Rally. During the Christmas season, catch the Holiday Frog Choir along with The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle and Grinchmas shows.
We schedule our day around the shows we want to see. Since the rides run continuously, but the shows do not, it's best to schedule your day around the show schedule. Universal Studios Hollywood publishes a show schedule in its official app (look for shows on the map filter and tap them to get the next available times that day). There are also show and wait time boards located around the park.
Shows normally begin in the late morning, so if you arrive at or before park opening, this gives you plenty of time to experience The Wizarding World and Lower Lot attractions (which have much shorter wait times early in the day) before the shows start. The shows offer some much-needed rest for your tired flippers in the afternoon.
Make the Best of Ride Breakdowns
Sometimes a ride experiences technical difficulties. If you're on the ride when this happens and team members need to have you exit (or delay you on the ride before it starts operating again), they will generally try to keep you hoppy with some consolation prizes. These may include a treat. We have gotten packets of Jelly Belly jellybeans. They may also tell you a secret code to come back and ride again (once the attraction reopens) without having to wait. Remember this word or snap a picture of it, just in case you froget it.
And the best prize of all is a single-use Universal Express Pass. (It may be good for most rides.) But be smart: They only give one pass per party (each pass admits up to five people). When team members ask how many people are in your party, you might divide into smaller groups — especially if you are planning to split up or head to different rides. So one family of five could technically be five parties of one. You might decide to share rides together after all by jumping in on a family member’s pass or decide to split up because you enjoy different rides. If things go wrong, we frogs always try to make the best of it. The benefits of a ride breaking down can mean less time standing in line for other attractions.
Single Riders & Child Switch
These tools can help you skip the lines.
Use the Single Riders Lines
If you don't mind splitting up your party on a ride, the Single Riders lines are the fastest way to get on a ride without having a Universal Express Pass. You can't beat a free way to skip the line! It's one of our top tips to maximize time at Universal Studios Hollywood. There are minimum Universal Studios height requirements for tadpoles to ride without an adult, so make sure they measure up first.
Attractions with Single Riders lines:
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- Revenge of the Mummy - The Ride
- Transformers: The Ride 3D
- Jurassic World - The Ride
- Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge
- Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift has a Single Rider sign (opening summer 2026)
Single Rider is subject to availability. Ask a team member about it. The line may close when it gets too long. At some rides, such as Revenge of the Mummy, the team member may offer you a pass to use for Single Rider.
Take Advantage of Child Switch
If any of your children cannot ride, an adult can wait with the child in the attraction’s Child Switch room. When the rest of the party returns, you can switch and take a companion with you without having to wait in line again. We have more tips for entertaining small children at Universal Studios Hollywood if you are bringing a little tadpole with you.
Dining & Snacks
You can save time when dining at Universal Studios.
Have Lunch During Off-peak Times
You'll save the most time at Universal Studios Hollywood if you dine outside of peak meal times. Know that there are no table-service restaurants within the park and you won't be able to make reservations in advance. If you are looking for a sit-down restaurant, there are plenty of options at CityWalk next door.
If you are a "Harry Potter" fan (OK, even if you aren't), we find the most relaxing and delicious meal in the park to be at The Three Broomsticks. Grab an early lunch or early dinner and eat like a wizard in a replica of an iconic "Harry Potter" setting. Wizarding alcoholic beverages are available for purchase in Hog's Head Pub.
And to save even more time on food, pick something up from a food stand rather than a restaurant. One of our favorite food items in the whole park is also available in the Wizarding World: the meat pies. Our frog family loves these warm, flaky, meat and veggie filled treats from the Magical Neep cart, and there's never a line to grab one (or five!).
Hop over to our yummiest guide to Universal Studios Hollywood restaurants for more choices. Also, many restaurants now offer a mobile ordering service through the Universal Studios Hollywood app. You can sit and wait for food instead of standing in line.
Toadstool Cafe is the hottest meal ticket in the park right now. You have to make a reservation (up to 60 days in advance). You can do this using this link: Book a reservation for Toadstool Cafe at SNW (zomatobook.com), the Universal Studios app or online. To join, you do not have to be on-site. However, you can also scan QR codes to join in the park. We recommend dining early or late. It can take longer to order and receive food at peak mealtimes. Eat an early lunch to save time.
Bring Refillable Water Bottles or Purchase Souvenir Cups for Soda
By bringing your own water, not only will you save time waiting in lines, but you'll also save money. While Universal Studios Hollywood isn't as lenient as other parks about bringing in outside food, you can bring water bottles (maximum 2 liters), baby food, small snacks, fruits and vegetables into the park. You can bring items required for medical purposes and special dietary needs. Small, soft-sided, insulated bags are OK, but you will need to leave coolers and food purchased from outside locations (minus the above exceptions) at home. Note that Universal Studios Hollywood does not allow even water or any food brought in for Halloween Horror Nights.
If you are concerned about meeting your dietary needs in the park, you can consult the Dietary Food Guide for hints on how to find gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and peanut-free foods in the park. All the restaurant menus are now on the Universal Studios Hollywood app.
If you want to save money on soda, you can purchase souvenir cups that work at the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines. You can purchase a souvenir cup for $20 (or two for $18 each) at participating locations. You'll get access to 100 drink choices and unlimited refills (one pour every 10 minutes) the day you purchase it. You save time by not having to wait in line to purchase a drink every time you want one. Just head right to the Freestyle machines with your cup.
If you are returning, you can purchase an extra day of refills for $13. If you visit Universal Orlando, bring your cup with you!
Shopping Tips & CityWalk
Another fun option is heading out to Universal CityWalk. This themed mall offers familiar and unique shopping, dining and entertainment. Tad loves Things From Another World for all of his comic book needs. Lily LOVES Hello Kitty, so the Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe and shop are always high on her list. For dinner, Leap and I prefer Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville (#finstotheleft) or Antojitos. The whole Frog Family is excited that the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen is now open! We usually visit CityWalk after we've left the park for the night because CityWalk is open later than the theme park.
Something to consider during or after your day of movie theme park thrills is catching a movie at the Universal Cinema AMC Theater. A dark, air-conditioned theater can be a welcome oasis for tired bodies and a fun way to close down a day. Bring your Universal Studios Parking ticket to the theater Box Office for a parking rebate.
If you opt to stay in the park midday when attractions lines are longest, use your time to visit characters — or magical creatures —and take pictures in front of photo ops.
Do Your Souvenir Shopping When the Attraction Lines Are Long
Lines in the stores can get crowded at the end of the night, especially the ones closer to the exit. With package pickup, you can do your shopping when lines are shortest (typically in the middle of the day) and send your goodies to wait for your retrieval! Our favorite froggy tradition is sending a Giant Lard Lad Simpson’s doughnut or some chocolate frogs to the package pickup and eating the goodies at the end of our night for dessert!
Utilize Package Pickup
Don’t want those bags of souvenirs slowing you down? Don’t worry about it! Any purchases made (including packaged treats such as those adorable Honeydukes bakery items!) can be held at the front of the park for you. Just ask the team member who is ringing you up to utilize package pickup. They will send your items to be held inside the Universal Store nearest the entrance to the park, and even make sure they all end up together if you purchase from multiple places.
Universal Studios Hollywood App
The app will keep you informed and help you save time.
Download the Universal Studios Hollywood App and Set It Up Before You Visit
The Universal Studios Hollywood app is your best guide in the park for quickly finding upcoming shows, checking wait times and locating restaurants (and menus) or shops. It also guides you through Universal CityWalk. The park offers free Wi-Fi. You can always ask a team member if you can't find a show time, such as the Wizarding World performances, since not every show is listed.
You may also use the Universal Studios Hollywood app to get a Virtual Line Pass when offered. New rides sometimes offer a Virtual Line during busy times. That allows you to enjoy the rest of the park instead of standing in a long line!
You have to be physically in the park to get a pass. You may be able to join a Virtual Line from a ticket machine. With the opening of a new ride, Virtual Queues may come back into play.
Set up the App in Advance
You'll use the app to set up Power-Up Bands for Super Nintendo World. The app keeps track of your coins, keys and stickers collected with the band.
While at home, download the latest version of the Universal Studios Hollywood app. You can link your park tickets, although Early Access tickets will not show up in the app. Bring those QR codes with you, either printed or on your device. If you plan to use mobile order, you can add a payment option. You'll save time and frustration if you manage all this at home before your visit.
Speaking of mobile order, this is a new feature in the app. You can skip the food lines for select restaurants and order food in advance. You can modify the pick-up time if you get held up somewhere else. This allows you to spend more time having fun or relaxing at a table until your food is ready.
What to Bring (and Leave Home)
You want to bring the essentials, but limit yourself to a small bag if possible.
Pack Light
While you probably want to bring a bag to carry some water, a hat, sunglasses, keys and basic necessities, choose a small bag, and leave bulky items behind. A few rides — The Mummy and Flight of the Hippogriff — require you to leave loose items in a locker. Those free lockers are quite narrow. If your items are too big, you'll need to purchase a $5 larger locker. Also, the machines for the lockers scan your park ticket. You'll need to take that ticket with you. It helps to wear some clothes with pockets to store the ticket. Don't shove it in the locker. You need to re-scan the ticket to open the locker. Buy popcorn buckets and souvenirs after you ride these rides so you don't have to store them.
Bring Your Own Water
Save money and time by bringing water or refillable water bottles. It's important to stay hydrated in the dry climate of Southern California.
Have a Universal Studios Hollywood tip we didn't mention or a question? Share it in the comments below! Don't froget — we offer a Universal Studios Hollywood Park Plan to maximize your time!
Related: Universal Fan Fest Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood
Related: Toadally Magical Guide to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood
Keep hopping!
